Round 1

Wahlin drives forward with a pair of low kicks but eats a right
cross for his efforts. He drives Rodriguez into the cage and
clinches, grabbing a front headlock and briefly searching for a
standing guillotine. Rodriguez pulls his head out and rips a knee
to the body before separating, but Wahlin pursues him across the
cage digs several hard lefts to the ribs. Wahlin then scores with a
double-leg slam and starts yanking on a can-opener, but he has been
cut over his right eye. Rodriguez fires and up-kick at the man on
top and now has a good look at a triangle, but he doesn’t go for
it. Instead, Wahlin passes to half guard, but Rodriguez rolls him
and sets up shop with some ground-and-pound from his opponent’s
guard for the last 45 seconds of the round.

Sherdog Scores

Round 2

Photo:
Dave Mandel/Sherdog.com

Rodriguez caught Wahlin and then finished on top.

Wahlin lands a right hook to start the second, but Rodriguez
wobbles him back with a serious right hand, followed by a knee.
Walin bites down on his mouthpiece and walks through it, launching
a high kick that is partially blocked. Both middleweights look
absolutely exhausted just 90 seconds into the bout, but Wahlin hits
a takedown against the cage. However, Rodriguez grabs and
arm-triangle from guard and sweeps his foe, rolling into side
control and forcing Wahlin to tap.

The Official Result

Round 1

Photo: D.
Mandel/Sherdog.com

Sterritt dominated Estus and put him away.

Estus leads with a pair of hard low kicks, but Sterritt catches a
third attempt and throws his off-balance foe to the mat. Now
Sterritt is working the American over with low kicks, but Estus
explodes into a takedown attempt. The Brit counters with a
guillotine, but Estes again explodes up, and the men trade more leg
kicks. Estus lands a nice left hook to the jaw, but he appears to
be hurt by a knee to the body as he shoots for a fruitless
single-leg. Sterritt sprawls out on him and rips multiple shots to
the American’s ribs.

Estus escapes, but more punishment awaits when he stands, as
Sterritt drills him with several hard punches and knees. Estus
shoot for another takedown, but Sterritt counters with a
guillotine, rolling into guard and forcing “The Real Pretty Boy” to
tap out.

The Official Result

Round 1

Carlson takes center cage and drives his shin into Vassell’s lead
thigh, but the Brit slips a jab and scores with a power double-leg
takedown. Vassell passes to half guard and throws some distracting
lefts at his foe’s face as he fiddles with passing to side control.
Carlson is doing his best to tie up the Brit, but Vassell
essentially has free rein to posture up and drop ground-and-pound
when he wants to. Vassell mashes with several solid elbows. Carlson
bucks onto his hip, but Vassell corrals him and pushes the American
onto his back once more. Now Vassell has locked up a seat belt and
drops two hard lefts on Carlson’s face that force him to give up
his back. Vassell jumps on and sinks his hooks, but he can’t find
the choke before time expires.

Sherdog Scores

Round 2

Photo: D.
Mandel/Sherdog.com

Vassell breezed right through Carlson.

Carlson does his best to keep Vassell at bay early in round two,
but the Englishman once again plants him on the canvas with a
takedown. The American is taking some heavy breaths from the
bottom, and Vassell nearly passes to mount. Carlson rolls onto his
belly, and Vassell slides the blade of his forearm under Carlson’s
throat. The end comes not long after, as Vassell sinks his left
hook and flattens out his opponent to elicit the tap.

The Official Result

Round 1

Jenkins pops his lanky foe with an overhand right and quickly drags
him to the mat with a single-leg. Jenkins starts to unload with
ground-and-pound from open guard, but Powers is now looking for an
inside heel hook. The NCAA champ defends it well, however, and
cracks his man with a hammer fist before crawling back into Powers’
guard. Midway through the round, Powers is setting up an armbar
from bottom, but the wrestler postures out of it. Two crisp rights
then sneak through Powers’ defense, followed by a left elbow.
Powers again swivels his hips for an armbar, but he only eats a
hammer fist for his troubles. Jenkins rides out the final 30
seconds on top and defends a triangle attempt to end the frame.

Sherdog Scores

Round 2

Photo: D.
Mandel/Sherdog.com

Jenkins was in total control for 15 minutes.

Powers leads with a pair of push kicks to start, but Jenkins takes
him down quickly, this time passing to side control quickly.
However, Powers recovers guard and starts to butt-scoot away from
his opponent. He wall-walks to his feet but eats several hard blows
as he stands. Jenkins soon grabs ahold of him again and dumps him
right back down to the mat. Powers tries to scoot away off his
back, but Jenkins continues to smother him. Jenkins pops him with
several more punches from top position and stifles another attempt
at a stand-up to close out round two.

Sherdog Scores

Round 3

Powers foolishly looks for a jumping knee, and Jenkins takes
advantage of the gift, taking him to the canvas with ease. Two hard
lefts land on Powers’ cheek. The lanky lightweight throws up his
legs for a triangle, but Jenkins shucks him off easily and passes
to side control. Powers rolls away, but Jenkins rides him and
maintains his superior position. Powers’ corner is telling him to
get up, which cues Jenkins to pop up on his haunches and rain down
some hard punches. Powers recovers guard, but Jenkins drives two
more crisp lefts into his foe’s face. Powers pushes off the cage
and tries to scramble up, but Jenkins stifles him and unloads with
more solid shots.

The Official Result

Round 1

Wilcox rifles off a right and then swarms with punches, but he
can’t land cleanly. “The Silverback” does score a takedown after
closing the distance, but Fischer pops right back up and then digs
a hard low kick into Wilcox’s lead thigh. The Strikeforce vet
answers with a pair of low kicks of his own and then a stiff jab,
but Fischer fires back with a low kick and right straight. Another
right straight lands for Fischer, but “The Silverback” grabs an
easy single-leg takedown and cracks his man with an elbow. Fisher
is playing game defense off his back and lands some short elbows
that slow down Wilcox’s measured ground-and-pound. Fischer
maintains his work rate and uses wrist control to stifle Wilcox,
who can’t get anything off for the last minute.

Sherdog Scores

Round 2

Photo: D.
Mandel/Sherdog.com

Wilcox held Fischer down and owned position.

Wilcox wings a right to start, and both men flail
with punches to little avail. Fischer ends an exchange with a snap
kick to the cup, which briefly halts the action. Wilcox is OK, and
the fight resumes. Wilcox drives forward with a right straight, but
Fischer fires back with a crisp right of his own. However, the
Strikeforce alum passes to half guard and is now mashing with short
elbows to the cheekbone. Fischer recovers guard and slams an elbow
into Wilcox’s face, cutting him under the left eye.

Wilcox again passes to half guard and drops a couple of punches and
elbows, though Fischer recovers guard just before the bell.

Sherdog Scores

Round 3

Fischer leads with a pair of push kicks and catches Wilcox with his
shin as “The Silverback” dips for a takedown. Wilcox completes the
maneuver and lands in half guard, grinding away with shorts shots
that do little damage. Fischer recovers guard with three minutes
left in the round and drives an elbow into Wilcox’s face. Fisher
throws up his legs for a triangle, but Wilcox throws his legs aside
and sits back into half guard in order to grind away with a few
more short elbows. Fischer is doing is best to push Wilcox off, but
the former bodybuilder is too heavy.

The Official Result

Round 1

Referee John McCarthy starts this middleweight tournament
semifinal, and Grove pecks away with inside low kicks and jabs.
Cooper is stalking him and lands a glancing left hook, followed by
a low kick that buckles the lead leg of “Da Spyder.” However, Grove
grabs a body lock and drags the former title challenger to the
canvas, sliding onto Cooper’s back and sinking in his hooks. A
seated Cooper smacks his man with some punches over his shoulder
and then tries to roll, but the UFC veteran hangs with him and
maintains back control. Grove transitions to a body triangle, but
Cooper defends the rear-naked choke well. However, Grove starts to
unload with ground-and-pound, and McCarthy is taking a long, hard
look. Cooper covers his face but has no real answer for the
hailstorm falling on him. Cooper is saved by the bell.

Sherdog Scores

Round 2

Photo: D.
Mandel/Sherdog.com

Cooper put Grove to sleep with leather.

Cooper lands a sweeping uppercut to start the second round,
followed by a second one. Grove clinches and looks for a
single-leg, but Cooper shucks him off. Grove then connects with a
sharp one-two from distance, but Cooper closes the distance and
lands a clubbing right hook. However, the UFC alum fires back with
a hard knee to the ribs and then a right hand to the ear. Cooper
leaps in with a left hook-uppercut but eats a jab-cross counter and
then a triple jab. Cooper suddenly crushes Grove with a violent
right hand.

Grove hits the canvas and does his best to survive, but Cooper
swarms him with a furious wave of punches, putting “Da Spyder” to
sleep with his head pinned against the fence.

The Official Result

Round 1

Martinez whips a leg kick to the inside thigh of his southpaw
opponent, and Green answers back with a low kick of his own.
Martinez moves forward and clubs Green with a pair of good right
hands, but “The Predator” responds with a takedown. Martinez
springs back up, but Green grabs his lead leg and pops him with
several nice shots. Martinez looks for a takedown, but Green stuffs
it and cracks him. Both men are landing pretty evenly, firing short
shots on the inside. Green is clearly the superior athlete,
however, and he times a nice double-leg takedown. Green then lands
a pair of solid lefts and stands, and Martinez threatens with some
nasty-looking up kicks. Green dives back into guard and lands some
short shots to end the round.

Sherdog Scores

Round 2

Photo: D.
Mandel/Sherdog.com

Green was a step quicker than Martinez.

Green connects with a nice left to start. Martinez tries to
retaliate with a pair of rights. He hits all air, but then connects
with a wild left over the top. Green closes the gap and grabs a
rear waist lock, digging knees into Martinez’s hamstrings before
hoisting him high and slamming him to the canvas with a gut wrench.
Martinez looks for an armbar off his back, but Green rips his
exposed appendage out of danger. Martinez is taking some deep
breaths now with Green in his guard, and he is bleeding from the
mouth.

Sherdog Scores

Round 3

The featherweights hug it out to start the final round. Martinez
backpedals and puts his back against the cage, but Green will not
be lured in. Green cracks his man with a left straight and then
wobbles him with a hard right, but “The Predator” chooses not to
follow up. Martinez bounces up and down to regain his wits and
steps back into the pocket. The southpaw is a step quicker,
however, and Martinez cannot find a home for one of the big shots
he hopes to land. Nevertheless, the 33-year-old continues to press
forward and lands a nice left, prompting Green to shoot for a
takedown. Martinez sprawls but lets Green back up, and the
24-year-old ends the fight with another takedown.

The Official Result

Round 1

Bessette strikes first with a body kick, and Weichel catches a kick
aimed at his lead thigh. The German lands two nice punches as he
follows Bessette into guard. The American grabs a rubber, but
Weichel postures up and drives two jackhammer rights into
Bessette’s mug. Weichel pops up to his feet and lands another
straight punch. The former M-1 champ seems content to pound away
from guard, and he lands several hammer fists before finally
stepping into half guard. Bessette rolls onto his right hip and
attacks with a kimura, using it to create space. Bessette explodes
to his feet, but Weichel drives him into the cage, where both men
land short punches from close quarters.

Sherdog Scores

Round 2

Photo: D.
Mandel/Sherdog.com

Weichel was more accurate than Bessette.

Bessette whiffs with an uppercut. Weichel blocks an overhand right
and counters with a knee to the ribs, but “The Mangler” retaliates
with a body kick that is caught by the German. Weichel shoves his
man to the mat, but Bessette springs back to a vertical base.
Bessette pursues with a short left, though Weichel comes back with
a sharp one-two. Now a body kick lands for the American, followed
by a low kick and a lead right hook. Weichel catches another low
kick but can’t capitalize. Bessette is finding his range, and
Weichel is slowing down, though “The Weasel” cracks him with
another nice right.

Now Bessette fires back, connecting with several short punches and
then a pair of knees from the clinch.

Sherdog Scores

Round 3

Weichel starts the final frame with low kicks and jabs, following
up with a hard knee up the middle. The featherweights trade jabs
and right hands. Weichel dumps his foe with a knee-tap and grabs a
front headlock to force the American onto his back. Bessette’s
corner implores him to stand, and “The Mangler” tries in vain to
shrimp away from the sticky German. Bessette then tries to swivel
for an armbar, but Weichel defends well and pops him with several
hammer fists. With one minute to go, Bessette is desperately
looking for a way up, but Weichel stays tight and pins him down.
Bessette finally shows his back and just makes it back to his feet
as the bell rings.

The Official Result

Round 1

Shlemenko whiffs on a left hook and lands a kick to the liver. Ward
steps forward and clinches up, landing a knee and then trying for a
takedown. “Storm” uses a whizzer to defend deftly, however, and
cracks the challenger with a right hook. The champ drives his shin
into Ward’s body and then connects with two more hard punches. Ward
tries a takedown, but Shlemenko is down for only a moment before
eating a knee to the cup. Referee John McCarthy calls time, and the
champion recovers quickly. Ward comes forward right away but eats a
right hook counter on the way. The American quickly dumps the
Russian against the cage, however, and digs in one hook as he
finishes for a face-crank. McCarthy stands them due to inactivity,
and Shlemenko cracks the challenger with a pair of solid left
hooks. Ward comes right back, though, and takes Ward’s back during
a scramble with 90 seconds remaining. McCarthy implores Ward to
work to finish, but “The Irish Bad Boy” can only peck away with
some minor punches before time expires.

Sherdog Scores

Round 2

Photo: D.
Mandel/Sherdog.com

Shlemenko taught Ward a lesson.

Both men wing punches to start, and Shlemenko
drives another hard body kick home. They clinch, and “Storm” drives
a knee to the live, followed by a left hook downstairs. Another
middle kick lands for Shlemenko. The American drops for a
single-leg, and the champion snatches a 10-finger guillotine. No
need to pull guard for Shlemenko, who cinches the choke from a
standing position, forcing Ward to tap out from his knees.